John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1-4. Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign , etc.] These verses are much the same with ( 2 Kings 16:2-4), only in ( Chronicles 28:2) it is said, he made also molten images for Baalim ; the several Baals or idols of the nations round about, as well as served Jeroboam’s calves; (see Judges 2:11), and he is said in ( 2 Chronicles 28:3), to burn incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom ; to Molech, the god of the Ammonites, who was worshipped there. (See Gill on “ 2 Kings 16:2”) (See Gill on “ 2 Kings 16:3”) (See Gill on “ 2 Kings 16:4”) Ver. 5 . Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria , etc.] Whose name was Rezin, ( 2 Kings 16:5), though that is an after expedition to this, which is there related. The Lord is called the God of Ahaz, because he was so of right; he had dominion over him, and ought to have been worshipped by him; and, besides, he was so by virtue of the national covenant between God and the people Ahaz was king of; and moreover, Ahaz professed he was his God, though in an hypocritical manner, and he forsook the true worship of him: and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus ; whereas in a later expedition, related in ( 2 Kings 16:5), they did not succeed: and he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel ; whose name was Pekah: who smote him with a great slaughter ; as is next related.
Ver. 1-4. Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign , etc.] These verses are much the same with ( 2 Kings 16:2-4), only in ( Chronicles 28:2) it is said, he made also molten images for Baalim ; the several Baals or idols of the nations round about, as well as served Jeroboam’s calves; (see Judges 2:11), and he is said in ( 2 Chronicles 28:3), to burn incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom ; to Molech, the god of the Ammonites, who was worshipped there. (See Gill on “ 2 Kings 16:2”) (See Gill on “ 2 Kings 16:3”) (See Gill on “ 2 Kings 16:4”) Ver. 5 . Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria , etc.] Whose name was Rezin, ( 2 Kings 16:5), though that is an after expedition to this, which is there related. The Lord is called the God of Ahaz, because he was so of right; he had dominion over him, and ought to have been worshipped by him; and, besides, he was so by virtue of the national covenant between God and the people Ahaz was king of; and moreover, Ahaz professed he was his God, though in an hypocritical manner, and he forsook the true worship of him: and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus ; whereas in a later expedition, related in ( 2 Kings 16:5), they did not succeed: and he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel ; whose name was Pekah: who smote him with a great slaughter ; as is next related.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The wicked reign of Ahaz in Judah.
--Israel gained this victory because God was wroth with Judah, and mad them the rod of his indignation. He reminds them of their own sins. I ill becomes sinners to be cruel. Could they hope for the mercy of God if they neither showed mercy nor justice to their brethren? Let it be remembered, that every man is our neighbour, our brother, our fello man, if not our fellow Christian. And no man who is acquainted with the word of God, need fear to maintain that slavery is against the law of love and the gospel of grace. Who can hold his brother in bondage without breaking the rule of doing to others as he would they should d unto him? But when sinners are left to their own heart's lusts, the grow more desperate in wickedness. God commands them to release the prisoners, and they obeyed. The Lord brought Judah low. Those who wil not humble themselves under the word of God, will justly be humbled by his judgments. It is often found, that wicked men themselves have n real affection for those that revolt to them, nor do they care to d them a kindness. This is that king Ahaz! that wretched man! Those ar wicked and vile indeed, that are made worse by their afflictions instead of being made better by them; who, in their distress, trespas yet more, and have their hearts more fully set in them to do evil. But no marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced, when the mistake the author of their trouble and of their help. The progress of wickedness and misery is often rapid; and it is awful to reflect upon sinner's being driven away in his wickedness into the eternal world _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew בן1121 עשׂרים6242 שׁנה8141 אחז271 במלכו4427 ושׁשׁ8337 עשׂרה6240 שׁנה8141 מלך4427 בירושׁלם3389 ולא3808 עשׂה6213 הישׁר3477 בעיני5869 יהוה3068 כדויד1732 אביו׃1
